1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a toggle joint, locking mechanism for a folding knife and more specifically to a spring powered, toggle joint, lock that allows for one handed opening and closing of a toggle joint, locking folding knife.
Although the toggle lock method of locking a folding knife is known to provide a very positive and safe lock up, designs of the past suffer disadvantages. Old designs requiring the use of both hands are no longer in favor to most consumers who insist on easy, one handed manipulation of a folding knife. What is needed is a spring powered toggle joint locking mechanism that overcomes these disadvantages.
2. Prior Art
The idea of using a toggle joint mechanism to lock the blade of a folding knife is not new. Yunes (4,612,706) Sep. 23, 1986 discloses a method of employing a toggle joint mechanism to lock a folding knife that is typical of the prior art. Typical, in that, all examples known to this applicant share a common disadvantage. That disadvantage is the necessity of using two hands to manipulate the opening and closing of the blade. This is a short coming unacceptable in today's market place.